Chapter Forty-Three

Violet unlocks her father's secret book using the correct password and discovers a letter revealing he possessed hidden knowledge about weapons against venin and directing her to seek a merchant in Deverelli. Xaden confronts her about her past relationship with Prince Halden after throwing him into a wall in a jealous rage, and the two reconcile passionately in her room before discussing plans to travel to Deverelli under the guise of searching for Andarna's kind.

The chapter opens with Violet rushing to help Prince Halden after Xaden violently knocks the wind from him by blocking what Halden claims was a lethal blow aimed at Violet. Xaden makes a possessive declaration that Violet hasn't thought of Halden since meeting him, infuriating her with his lack of control. Later, Violet works with Rhi to unlock her father's book using the password AIMSIR, which opens to reveal six sealed vials of ink and a letter addressed to her. The letter, written by her father Lieutenant Colonel Asher Sorrengail, contains instructions for a dire scenario: if he has died alongside her brother, she must protect the manuscript; if her mother has also fallen, she must seek a weapon to defeat enemies learned only through lore. Her father directs her to abandon her position, travel to Deverelli via Cordyn, and find a merchant named Narelle Anselm, warning her about the King of Navarre and instructing her to trust only Mira. Violet shares this revelation with Tairn and Andarna, who agree that traveling to Deverelli—a land beyond magic's reach where dragons remain—is their best option. Xaden then arrives at her door and demands to know if she loved Halden, revealing through his questioning that he can read minds via shadows. After Violet admits she loved Halden when she was younger but not the way she loves Xaden, he becomes intensely jealous and passionate, kissing her with desperate intensity while holding her with shadows. He pulls away before crossing physical boundaries, and Violet redirects by mentioning her father's letter and the need to travel to Deverelli. Xaden immediately commits to the journey, stating they can accomplish multiple goals and evaluate their functioning as a squad.